CH71 : I'm allergic to mango
Draco froze, his eyes fixed on the figure under the moonlight, completely unaware of the person next to him.
Gently, a large hand rested on his shoulder.
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?"
Behind Draco, a cat-like face emerged from the shadows, grinning horribly like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.
His body immediately trembled like chaff, cold sweat breaking out from his forehead involuntarily.
Simultaneously, after the troll's wailing subsided, the sound of rapid footsteps became clear.
A moment later, Professor McGonagall appeared from one side of the corridor, followed closely by Filch and Dumbledore, who was walking slowly.
"What on earth are you doing!" Professor McGonagall yelled, her voice filled with cold anger, though her eyes betrayed a hint of concern.
"Why aren't you in the common room ?!"
Seeing Professor McGonagall's furious gaze, Draco couldn't help but feel relieved that she hadn't noticed him yet.
However, his relief vanished the next moment.
Snape strode over from the opposite end of the corridor and spotted him and Felix at a glance.
"It appears we have more than one unruly individual." His tone was devoid of emotion.
Felix's nose twitched, detecting the scent of blood on him. It wasn't the smell of troll blood, but human.
Having some experience in this area, he didn't think he misheard.
"Mr Peregrine, I believe I can handle him." Snape said calmly.
"Of course." Felix relinquished Draco to Snape, and the group moved toward the gathering crowd.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall had just realized why Harry and Hermione were present and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing them.
Snape nodded imperceptibly to Dumbledore, indicating that all was well.
"Oh, it seems more has occurred tonight than we anticipated." Dumbledore smiled gently and, with a flick of his wand, cleaned the blood from Harry.
"Explain, Mr. Malfoy, why are you here?" Dumbledore inquired, looking at Draco.
"I came to warn Harry." Draco shrugged, feeling he had done nothing wrong, so he tried to maintain a calm expression.
"I saw him leaving the Great Hall. Since he was unaware of the trolls, I decided to check on him."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the teachers present softened slightly.
"Commendable behavior. Three points deducted from Slytherin for your recklessness." Professor McGonagall nodded, displaying her impartiality towards any house.
Draco didn't know what expression to adopt in response to this deduction. He let out a heavy sigh, embarrassment etching a smile on his face.
"Very well, I suggest you accompany them to the infirmary. Miss Granger appears to have sprained her ankle. Potter, I believe you should also undergo examination. Once cleared, you may return to your dormitories. Let's reconvene for the Halloween feast in the Great Hall."
"I'll escort them." Felix stood up and stated.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "That would be appropriate. I must ensure there are no stragglers outside."
With that, she smiled at the children and departed. Snape followed closely, leading Draco away.
Just as Felix was about to depart with the two children, Dumbledore turned around. "Felix."
"Yes?" Felix turned back.
"I may have some time later. I'll await you on the fourth floor."
Felix studied Dumbledore's inscrutable face for a moment, then nodded. "Understood."
On the way to the infirmary, both children were pale, silent, their hair disheveled.
"What's on your mind?" Felix asked.
He could likely guess Harry's thoughts. It was understandable to be preoccupied, considering how human the troll appeared.
When its head was severed, its abdominal cavity opened, and warm, foul-smelling blood splashed onto their faces, no child could remain composed.
It was akin to witnessing a monkey being slaughtered and dismembered. Despite not being human, the resemblance was too strong, leaving a profound impact.
"I... don't know," Harry hesitated, glancing at his hands. Dumbledore's cleaning spell removed most of the blood from his body, far more effectively than his attempts. Nonetheless, he still felt tainted by blood.
"We... ended a life," Hermione said, her voice strained. She, too, was in a distraught state, her injured foot incongruous with the tumultuous thoughts in her mind.
"I'm sorry. We all bear the burden of blood on our hands. At this moment, I cannot offer words to assuage your inner turmoil.
However, perhaps you've successfully safeguarded yourselves and each other. It's far preferable to be stained with the blood of adversaries than that of loved ones." Felix spoke with resignation.
When they arrived at the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey declared that nothing serious had occurred, but she still insisted that Hermione stay overnight for observation.
"Alright, I must be off. Oh, and this is for you," Felix handed a clover badge to Hermione.
"Mr. Peregrine, I can't accept this," Hermione protested, puzzled by Felix's gesture.
"I promised Chris to look out for you, but I feel like I haven't fulfilled that promise yet. I genuinely feel remorseful," Felix explained.
"But I only sprained my foot..."
"Perhaps accepting it will alleviate my guilt," Felix smiled.
"Um... alright, thank you," Hermione reluctantly accepted the green amulet.
"I'll take my leave now," Felix said before turning to glance at Quirrell on the other side of the room. Even though he lay in bed, he hadn't removed the purple scarf from his head. Hermione wondered how Madam Pomfrey allowed it...
"You don't seem eager to return," Harry remarked after Felix left.
Hermione hesitated before nodding slightly, her voice subdued. "I don't quite fit in with my classmates."
"Is it because of me?" Harry suddenly asked. "Because you're friends with Slytherin."
"No, it's not," Hermione replied hastily, but she couldn't fool Harry. She wasn't as adept at concealing her feelings as Snape or Dumbledore.
At that moment, noises emanated from outside the infirmary.
"Just for a moment, please."
"Alright, but only for five minutes," Madam Pomfrey acquiesced.
Shortly after, a red-haired man with freckles appeared, his head poking in cautiously. Harry recognized him immediately as Ron Weasley, the brother of Fred and George.
He held some food in his hands, looking sheepish. He glanced at Hermione. "Professor McGonagall said you were hurt..."
"No, it's just minor injuries," Hermione reassured him. "What brings you here?"
"I came to apologize," Ron said earnestly, his embarrassment palpable. "I'm sorry, especially for what I said in Charms class. I... I went too far. You were only trying to help me... I truly apologize. Especially after hearing about your injury from Professor McGonagall..."
"You're right," Hermione interjected seriously. "I do have faults, and I'm working on correcting my habit of correcting others. But as for apologizing, you needn't dwell on it too much."
Ron breathed a sigh of relief and offered the food he had brought. "I brought some mango pudding; I thought you might be hungry."
Hermione looked embarrassed. "Thank you for your kindness, but I'm allergic to mangoes. I can't eat them."
"Oh," Ron's embarrassment deepened, and he quickly left, feeling dejected.
Hermione turned to Harry and exclaimed, "So... it's just that I've had some disagreements with my classmates. It's not about who I befriend. I couldn't care less about what they say about my friends, and they shouldn't care either!"